The 11 Best Luxury Hotels in Koh Samui

On Koh Samui, a private pool often simply comes with the villa. Conrad Koh Samui has 82 stand-alone villas, each with a ten-meter infinity pool above the Gulf of Thailand. At Banyan Tree Samui, every one of the 88 villas on the hillside above Lamai Bay has a private infinity plunge pool, and at Cape Fahn Hotel Koh Samui each of the 24 villas has its own pool, plus an adults-only plunge pool.Conrad Koh Samui · Thong Krut PierIf you prefer swimming laps, several luxury hotels on Koh Samui have large pools by the beach. Kimpton Kitalay Samui has an Olympic-size pool right on the sea, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort a 30-meter infinity pool with a pool bar. At The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui you swim in the beachfront infinity pool or, depending on season and weather, in an ocean swimming pool, and at the Swim Reef you snorkel among more than 50 species of fish.

Couples who choose their 5-star hotel on Koh Samui by the pool should also look at Vana Belle Koh Samui in Chaweng Noi: every suite and villa has its own pool and terrace, and down by the bay there’s an infinity pool right on the beach.

Thai healing traditions shape almost every spa on the island, and they are especially impressive where water and nature play a part. Banyan Tree Samui is home to The Rainforest, a hydrothermal circuit with a rain walk, steam room, ice buckets, vitality pool with jets and heated beds, the first of its kind at Banyan Tree. There are also ten treatment pavilions, and a jasmine-rice body polish is among the signature treatments.Banyan Tree Samui · LamaiIn the garden and on the hillside: At Six Senses Samui, six treatment salas sit on the hillside overlooking the bay; yoga and wellness activities are included in the rate. At Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort, the garden spa by Bill Bensley spreads over 3,000 m² of lotus ponds and gardens, with six stand-alone suites, each with an outdoor tub and rain shower. At The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, the Spa Village covers grounds of 3,800 m², with eight treatment suites, a yoga pavilion and its own lap pool.

At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.

Sauna, salt and Muay Thai: At the spa at Conrad Koh Samui, you relax in a sauna and steam room with a Himalayan salt wall, and hotel guests get one hour in the private spa suite free of charge. At Kimpton Kitalay Samui, Kitavaree Spa & Wellness pairs massages with a program of Muay Thai, yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi, daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Nights run from 127 € at Renaissance Koh Samui Resort to 482 € at W Koh Samui. In between are Hyatt Regency Koh Samui from 189 €, Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort from 220 € and the villa resorts, from 290 € at Cape Fahn to 477 € at Banyan Tree. The table shows all eleven hotels by location; you’ll find daily rates and available villas in the hotel list below.

Included at all eleven: breakfast for two every morning, plus, depending on availability, an upgrade, an earlier arrival and a later departure. At Hyatt Regency Koh Samui, the upgrade applies at booking (not from room to suite); there and at Cape Fahn Hotel Koh Samui, the benefits apply from two nights, at all other hotels from the first night.

Hotel credit varies between the luxury hotels on Koh Samui: most offer 100 US dollars, and at Anantara Bophut Koh Samui Resort it is a spa credit. It’s 75 US dollars at Hyatt Regency and 50 US dollars at Cape Fahn, while Renaissance Koh Samui Resort adds a welcome gift instead of a credit. At Six Senses Samui, complimentary activities from the resort’s changing program are included.Renaissance Koh Samui Resort · Moo 4Points and status: you earn Marriott Bonvoy at Vana Belle Koh Samui, The Ritz-Carlton Koh Samui, Renaissance Koh Samui Resort and W Koh Samui, IHG One Rewards at Kimpton Kitalay Samui, World of Hyatt at Hyatt Regency Koh Samui and Hilton Honors at Conrad Koh Samui, where you even earn double points.

When it’s most beautiful: Koh Samui lies in the Gulf of Thailand and has its own climate. Many guests come between January and August, when the sea is usually calm and the sun shines often; toward the end of the year the island is especially lush, and the resorts feel more relaxed. Book early for Christmas and New Year and for the Easter holidays.

Our advice on length: Plan at least four nights for a 5-star hotel on Koh Samui – time for beach and spa, a boat trip to Ang Thong National Marine Park and an evening in Fisherman's Village.